This Ain’t It: Suicide Squad's True Failure

In Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Batman’s execution was meant to be a powerful moment, but it fell flat. We dissect why this cutscene failed—examining its tone, dialogue, and action—and explore how it dishonoured both Rocksteady’s legacy and Kevin Conroy’s final performance as Batman.

This was the moment when Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League completely lost me, and I’m guessing I’m not the only one who felt that way.

Welcome back to Cutscene Collective. Today, we’re doing something a little different. Instead of our usual deep dive into the brilliant art of storytelling in video games, we’re dissecting what went wrong in a cutscene.

Specifically, why Batman’s execution cutscene might just be the defining failure of Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League.

The State

Let’s start with the obvious: Suicide Squad bombed. Released in Feb 2024 by Rocksteady—the studio behind the legendary Batman Arkham series—expectations were sky-high. But it didn’t take long for reality to set in.

• Game Direction: Uninspired sandbox environments, repetitive missions, tacked-on loot-driven gameplay, and controversial character choices - if you didn’t think the live-service looter-shooter bubble hasn’t burst, at least Suicide Squad makes a really good case for it.

• Commercial failure: Within months, the game was heavily discounted and labelled a commercial flop by WB Games. Fast-forward a year, and it’s either free or in the bargain bin.

• Story-wise: Let’s not forget the game’s “big” twist that everyone saw coming—the Justice League members the Squad killed? Well, we now know they were all just clones controlled by Brainiac. 

But even with all this, the game’s biggest misstep is how they handled Batman’s execution.

Rocksteady’s Legacy

This scene left a bad taste in my mouth. I mean, Rocksteady gave us the Arkham series, a trilogy that revolutionised superhero games and delivered one of the best portrayals of Batman ever. Fans trusted them with the Dark Knight, so seeing him reduced to a brainwashed pawn of Brainiac felt like a betrayal. 

And then there’s Kevin Conroy. This wasn’t just another role for him; it was his last. After voicing Batman for almost 3 decades in Batman: The Animated Series and the Arkham games, this was his farewell performance. They even had a reveal trailer to mention this. And a mention in the game’s end credits. Fans were emotional going in, expecting a tribute to both Conroy and the character. And this is what we got? A hollow and unworthy cutscene.

What Went Wrong?

Tone

This scene is dark—too dark, and not in a meaningful way. Batman is a tragic figure here, but there’s no depth to the tragedy. The Squad’s chaotic energy clashing with the seriousness of the moment, making it feel tonally confused. It’s like the scene couldn’t decide what it wanted to be: dramatic or just another chaotic Squad moment.

Dialogue

Batman’s lines are shallow and forgettable. There’s no weight, no emotion, and no acknowledgement of his legacy. Most importantly, Harley's grandstanding undermines the scene’s potential impact. Where’s the hesitation? The conflict? The regret? It’s all missing.

Action

Visually, the cutscene failed to highlight the gravity of Batman’s death. The staging was flat, with uninspired camera angles and animations that lacked the cinematic flair expected from Rocksteady.

This is Batman’s death we’re talking about. It should’ve been cinematic, powerful, and unforgettable. Instead, there’s no tension, no buildup, no payoff. It just happens—and you move on.

How It Could Have Been Better

Here’s the thing: this scene could’ve worked. Here are just four suggestions:

• Batman Fights Back: Even under Brainiac’s control, give us a glimpse of the Batman we know—his willpower, his determination. It’s like justice flows through every fibre of Batman’s DNA. So potent even his clone has residual strength to fight back. A wasted opportunity to show the resilience of Batman. 

• Better Dialogue: Let him say something meaningful, something that references the Arkham legacy. Maybe Batman breaks through the brainwashing just a little, and we get a cryptic warning about what’s to come, it provides a good dramatic beat to the scene, offering hope for the characters, in a hopeless fight and from a commercial standpoint, it would even tease and hype up future seasonal content.

• Squad’s Hesitation: Harley has a history with Batman—why not show some conflict there? A few seconds of regret or hesitation could’ve added so much depth. There’s so much to unpack with both their relationships with The Joker. She may not like Batman, but she also understands him in a way few others do. To be fair, Harley has always been delusional about her capabilities. Her overconfidence and bravado are part of her charm. But her words aren’t coming from a place of character-driven authenticity, it’s hypocritical and they’re just there to serve the plot. 

• Dead Silence: Deadshot’s silence feels like a symptom of a larger issue: the game’s failure to fully develop the Squad’s dynamics or give each character moments to shine. He was set up to be an anti-hero, and he knows what it’s like to be backed into a corner and forced to do things against his will, so seeing Batman—under Brainiac’s control, no less—should have resonated with him. This could have been his time to protest the execution and cause some tension within the group, maybe just enough friction to allow Batman one last... 

• Hero’s Sacrifice: Clone or not. Let Batman make the choice. Instead of being a victim of Brainiac, he could’ve chosen to sacrifice himself to warn the Squad of Brainiac’s plans, or even better, die saving them from Superman. This would have honoured the character’s legacy and provided a powerful farewell for Batman and a fitting one for Kevin Conroy.

For a game so focused on taking down the Justice League, this should’ve been one of its standout moments. The list of reasons the game was a disappointment is long, but this cutscene instead is a symbol of everything wrong with Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. 

Rocksteady had the chance to give us a memorable, emotional goodbye to Batman and Kevin Conroy. Instead, they gave us... this. This, my friends, this ain’t it.

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